If you’re anything like me, once the days start getting warmer, it’s officially salad season! I especially love a salad that fuels my gut, tastes great and stays fresh in the fridge for days. Having recipes that can be made ahead of time is a great way to save time while working towards your health goals.  

Supporting gut health doesn’t need to be complicated. Focus on what you can add to your diet. More food diversity = a healthy gut microbiome. One way to do this is to aim for 30 plant foods each week. This  Quinoa Salad is loaded with protein, a variety of fibre, fat and a whole lot of flavour. And, it is great as a side dish or as a stand alone meal. 

Let’s dive into the details!

This recipe has your fibre covered with the quinoa, chickpeas, vegetables and sunflower seeds. Protein from the quinoa, feta cheese and sunflower seeds and healthy fat from the feta cheese and olive oil. And, not to mention being packed full of vitamins and minerals. Incorporating this salad into your weekly rotation will provide 7 plant foods alone, plus many other supportive nutrients for your gut. 

Check it out!

Quinoa Salad recipe:

1 ½ cup quinoa

2 ½ cup water

1 x 398 ml can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed.

4 oz feta cheese, cubed

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 small red onion, diced

½ each yellow and orange pepper, diced

6 cups fresh baby spinach

1 cup roasted sunflower seeds (you could substitute pumpkin seeds as well)

Instructions:

Cook the Quinoa as per package instructions. Once cooked, let it cool slightly. To a large bowl, add the quinoa, chickpeas, and chopped vegetables (not spinach). Then mix in sunflower seeds. Add in ½ the dressing and stir to combine. Top with spinach then serve. Store in the fridge in a sealed container and enjoy over several days

Dressing:

This dressing recipe makes quite a bit – save some to refresh your salad when eating on another day. Combine all ingredients, EXCEPT the olive oil, in a jar with a lid. Shake vigorously, then add the olive oil in 2 batches, shaking well between each addition.

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp brown sugar

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Let me know what you think of this salad?